Lin Gao Qiming

Chapter 1714 People in Guangzhou City

Liu San didn't say any more, since he didn't feel it, it's better not to say any more.As usual, that night was a clean-up routine, and the next day Liu San started preparations for Guangzhou's medical and health care.

As the veterans who are about to take over the power continue to arrive, the atmosphere in the "inner world" of the big world gradually becomes dignified.The troops who have arrived in the big world live quietly in temporary barracks, and do indoor gymnastics every day to pass the time.The officers deduced the plan of marching and accepting it over and over again on the map and sand table; the intelligence system commanded by Lin Baiguang has now officially changed its name to the Guangdong Regional Urban Works Department, and all kinds of people of various religions and tricks are sneaking around day and night. There are several small doors on the side of the big world; the arrival of the special investigation team of the General Investigation Bureau adds to the sense of tension. They go out day and night, and use special passages to enter and exit, which has become the most mysterious place here.

Many peddlers and beggars have appeared around the big shops, gentry, and government offices in Guangzhou since the end of last year; some disturbing news spread everywhere in tea houses and taverns.In the first month of the first month, the big event of the rogue army capturing Zhongjing and burning the imperial tomb came earlier than the news from the government, and it was full of all kinds of frightening but bloody details.Then, various pamphlets began to be circulated again, in which Daming's bad things in various places in the past few years were written in detail.The most frightening thing is that all kinds of memorials, court discussions, and even private letters between officials, which were rarely seen by ordinary people, were published in a booklet called "Wen Chun" began to circulate.

This pamphlet was no different from other pamphlets that had already been circulated in the city of Guangzhou. They were all printed on low-quality rough paper, but it was circulated regularly, and a new one would be published every seven days.The content inside is very exciting, not only these original materials, but also many "secrets of the current dynasty", which are full of scandalous stories about the evil deeds of various court officials and powerful gentry from all over the world.One prefecture and two counties in Guangzhou have arrested many times, and caught many unlucky people who copied and distributed, but never captured the real printing editors.Not even one person who actually circulated the pamphlet was ever caught.The local bigwigs are well aware that these brochures are probably written by Australians-at least backstage.

For literate people, "Wen Chun" and other pamphlets not only satisfy their curiosity, but also give them endless talk.As a result, the news spread a hundred times faster.

Although the citizens of Guangzhou have always had the free and easy temperament of drinking tea when they can drink tea, they are still a little worried about the dangers of troubled times. !"

This atmosphere of panic spread quietly among all walks of life.The illusory sense of security originally created by the geographical distance and delayed news transmission was punctured by these "news".

The big and small bureaucrats in the city were particularly terrified. They knew exactly where the source of the rumors came from and what their purpose was.The Kun bandits, who have been dormant since invading Guangzhou, are obviously also affected by the current situation, and are ready to move around. The target is very likely to be Guangzhou!
Such speculation is by no means groundless, the officials in Guangzhou are not deaf, and what happened on Hainan Island is no secret to them.Over the past few years, officials on Hainan Island have been resigned and transferred. They always come to Guangzhou to rest, meet their bosses in the same year, and chat about what they have seen and heard about their appointments—who doesn’t know that Hainan Island has become "like an enemy country" and left. Everyone in Ren said that the Kun thief had "a heart of disobedience" and that sooner or later he would "change drastically".But after all, who can go to Tingli Cave?After Xiong Wencan, the governor of recruiting security, took office, everyone wanted to see if he had the skills to turn the thief into the second Zheng Zhilong.However, as Zheng Zhilong's lair was broken by the thieves and he himself died in battle, the Guangdong officialdom has given up hope for this.Xiong Wencan didn't mention it anymore.The preparations for fighting against the enemy have been stepped up.

However, for those officials who had more contact with the Kun bandits and knew them better, Xiong Du’s preparations were probably useless, and Xiong Du probably knew it himself—it was only a few years since the Governor’s Mansion of Guangdong and Guangxi moved from Zhaoqing to Guangzhou. , and asked the imperial court to move back to Zhaoqing with an excuse.

The official circles in Guangzhou watched the big world outside Dadongmen amidst suspicion, pessimism and nervousness-there was a bustling business attracting business there, and there was no sign of war at all.However, officials who are a little more shrewd and capable have already smelled the smell from the recent actions of the gangsters.The Kun bandits are buying and hoarding food through their local minions, and there are many more ships plying the Pearl River than usual, which seems to contain disturbing intentions.

For Zhang Yu, these news did not affect his mood.Since his family got the order of walnut cakes from Dashijie Tea Shop and became a licensed supplier, the anxious and gloomy atmosphere in the family has been swept away.The orders from Great World are actually not too many, at best, it is the amount of one or two teahouses.But he got the "Designated Supplier of the Great World" sign issued by Zhang Yikun, and once it spread, it caused a sensation in the tea and food circle in Guangzhou.The retail sales suddenly doubled by more than seven or eight times. Many wealthy families even sent their servants to come across Guangzhou to buy walnut cakes from their stores. Some tea shops that did not order from them also ordered from him.For a time, this little shop that was originally unknown became a famous shop in Guangzhou.
Zhang Yu's parents were even more cheerful and smiling every day, not to mention business was booming, the government servants and "businessmen" who used to come to fight the autumn wind all disappeared.Naturally, the store no longer uses aged walnuts.Not only has a buddy been added, but an apprentice has also been added.His father asked a craftsman to enlarge the sign and engraved a large plaque, which was hung in the middle of the shop. It was shiny black and gold, and it really didn't match this small shop.

Zhang Yu's status in sociology suddenly became much higher.Originally, the children of some big shopkeepers, or someone in the family who is a scholar, rarely interacts with the children of small businessmen like him; the arrogant ones do not even say hello when they meet, and the mean ones even laugh a few words: " What do you do when you come to study as a buddy?"

Recently, everyone seems to have changed people. At least they have to say a few polite words when they see him, and some even brought money here specially to ask him to buy walnut cakes.The former snobbish gentleman no longer took him to do whatever he wanted, and he was spared the handwriting when he couldn't memorize the raw books.

A few of his friends in sociology were happy for him, but they were a little jealous, especially Zeng Juan, whose family also ran a small shop, and Zhang Yu's family was in the same situation. Zhang Yu's family turned over, but his family It's still the same bitter haha, and I feel uneasy.As for Li Ziyu, he was also a little unwilling to lose his limelight, and he tried to talk about the "artifacts" in "Wu Bei Zhi" to argue that Ming was only because "traitors were in power", otherwise the big world of the thieves would be fine, what kind of edge is Lingao? Regardless of the fort, there is nothing in front of the mysterious cannon that "corrodes dozens of miles in one cannon". As for the so-called "iron armored steamer" of the Kun bandits, it is the Shenhu Iron Armored Fort Ship that was not built. The ship is made of paper - no one who is used to this will believe it, because the pattern of his so-called "Shenhuo Iron Fortress Ship" is actually a large raft with an enemy tower standing on it, cannons erected around it, sails and eight large sculls. .Both Zhang Yu and Zeng Juan were deeply skeptical about whether this thing could move.

Chen Shixin no longer comes to school.This day, my husband asked for leave again and refused to come, so a few friends went to his house together.Knocking on the door of Chen's house, it was his father who answered the door.

After inquiring, I found out that this classmate had already gone to Lingao—it is said that he was recruited by the Australians as an apprentice.

"An Australian fell in love with his paintings and said they were good, so he took him to Lingao to learn painting." His father gestured, "My mother and I thought together, he is not good at studying, and he loves painting. Painting, I went to learn the painting skills of Westerners and came back to have something to eat."

"Are you always so relieved?" Li Ziyu said in surprise, "That's the territory of the bandits!"

"Whether it's a thief or an Australian, they hang around outside Guangzhou all day long, and they're not man-eating goblins. Don't worry about it. I heard that Lingao's market is not small, and the business might be better." Do it, I want to see it in a few days.”

The few friends who came out of Chen Shixin's house were a little disappointed.Li Ziyu muttered: "He likes Australian stuff the most, and it suits him. It's just that he just threw himself into it..." Zeng Juan felt empty for some reason: Zhang Yu's family is prosperous; Li Ziyu The family is considered a small family, with a house and a land, and studying is just a blind eye; even Chen Shixin has a sense of superiority, and now Chen Shixin has gone to join the Australians-needless to say, he must be prosperous in the future.I was the only one who couldn't succeed in literature and martial arts, and had a lot of business at home. For a while, I just felt that the future was at a loss, and I didn't even bother to respond to Zhang Yu's suggestion to watch the new Australian film.He murmured: "So what, it's better than suffocating here..."

Li Ziyu was a little puzzled, but Zhang Yu somehow knew what was going on with this friend.Immediately, he comforted him: "There is no need to cast money, why not go to the big world to see if there is any business to do..."

Zeng Juan smiled wryly and said, "Brother Zhang, my family runs a incense and candle shop. Except for the rich people who burn some incense on weekdays, everyone buys it only after worshiping God. The big world doesn't want these things: I went to see it, only one There is a Neo-Taoist view in the churches of Westerners, but they say they don’t burn incense.” He sighed, “My father said that luckily the price of spices has dropped a lot, otherwise this shop would not be able to continue.”

"Can't your family make other things?" Li Ziyu said.

Zeng Juan looked helpless: "My father knows this craft, what else can he do?"

(End of this chapter)